The invention relates generally to devices for disaggregating particulate matter that has aggregated together, and more particularly to a vibratory and auger apparatus for breaking up clumps of particulate matter.
It is common for particulate matter, such as sugar, sand or grain, to cohere during storage and form hard clumps. Cohesion can occur due to changes or extremes in humidity, temperature and pressure, along with other parameters. Aggregated clumps can be spherically or oddly shaped, but also can form along planes or curves, such as the upper layer of a large mound of sugar. When a curved clump forms from one side to the other of a container of particulate, such as a sugar silo, this clump is referred to as a “bridge”. A bridge is hardened, aggregated particulate that substantially blocks the flow of disaggregated, fluent particulate that is above the bridge, if any, downward toward the outlet of the silo.
Bridging in sugar silos creates significant risk of human injury or death and substantial cost, because when a sugar silo has significant bridging, measures must be taken to break through the bridge. To begin with, production must be reduced or shut down, which incurs lost production costs. Furthermore, the silo must be at least partially emptied, which results in lost sugar, because the removed sugar must be discarded. Still further, a human, such as an experienced contractor or employee who is experiences with the equipment, must then break the bridging material apart so that it flows and can be used.
Typical procedures for breaking the bridged particulate involve manually poking the bridge from beneath with a long pole in an attempt to mechanically break the bridge. However, this must be done without being harmed by collapsing of the bridged material. Another procedure involves lowering a person onto the bridged particulate from above and using similar tools in an attempt to break down the aggregated material. Although the person is tethered when lowered into the silo, this is still a dangerous procedure. Still further, it is known to contact the bridged particulate from above with a long tool that rotates in order to “drill” through the bridged particulate. A bit is used to penetrate the bridged particulate, and if the bit does not penetrate far enough, another bit is attached in series with the first in order to penetrate farther into the bridged particulate.
All conventional procedures for breaking through a bridge create a substantial risk of injury or death due to the possibility that the sought-after collapse of the bridging material will harm a person in close proximity. Alternatively, even without injury or death, contamination of the particulate material is likely, particularly when a person is lowered into the silo.
The need exists for a method and means for breaking down bridging particulate without the risks of injury, death and contamination that accompany conventional methods and means.